Posted in Charlotte October 29, 2017 by

You Can Watch Planes Land At This Underrated Overlook In Charlotte

There’s something super comforting about watching planes take off and land on a beautiful sunny day. It brings back that childhood nostalgia and feeling of excitement we got every time we’d see a plane overhead when playing outside as a kid. Why not bring that feeling back as an adult or share it with your own kids by taking them to see planes come in at the Charlotte Douglas Airport Overlook? It’s fun for the whole family.

We’re aware that these uncertain times are limiting many aspects of life as we all practice social and physical distancing. While we’re continuing to feature destinations that make our state wonderful, we don’t expect or encourage you to go check them out immediately. We believe that supporting local attractions is important now more than ever and we hope our articles inspire your future adventures! And on that note, please nominate your favorite local business that could use some love right now: https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/nominate/
The Charlotte Douglas Airport Overlook is a fantastic spot out near the Charlotte airport.
Adam W./Foursquare
The Overlook was created for the sole purpose of giving the public a place to be able to watch planes take off and land.
There are many benches and picnic tables at the Overlook...
desirae y./Foursquare
...and on a nice day it's a great idea to pack a picnic lunch to enjoy while plane watching.
This is a great spot to visit and observe one of America's greatest inventions.
Fen B./Foursquare
Visitors can stay in their cars, or get out and walk around the Overlook getting a close-up view of all the awesome jets that come in and out of the airport.
While at the overlook, you'll see countless planes land...
Patricia N./Foursquare
...and take off against the gorgeous Charlotte sky.
Prakash W./Foursquare
Visiting the Overlook is absolutely free, so if you need to keep the kids entertained this is a great option.
Jason Z./Foursquare
The Overlook is open from 8 a.m. until 10:30 p.m. daily, so you can marvel at the wonders of flight at almost anytime you desire.
Sit back, relax, and spend as much time here as you need.
Leila R./Yelp
Even during the quiet moments with no planes coming in, you can see the comforting sight of our city's skyline out in the distance. It's truly one of the most serene and beautiful sights in the QC.
Your little ones will be awestruck by the endless number of planes they see going in and out.
Julia F./Yelp
And what a great way to foster their interest in aviation?
Make a game out of counting how many planes you see coming and going.
Lynn C./Yelp
And watch how excited they get when they see a new plane coming in, it will bring joy to your heart!
After visiting the Overlook, head over to the Carolinas Aviation Museum right down the road.
Cat R./Yelp
Here you can learn all about the history of flight, and you can see great exhibits like the Airbus A320-214 which Captain Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger and First Officer Jeff Skiles successfully landed on New York's Hudson River in 2009 during an emergency landing.

Do you have memories of watching planes land as a kid? Tell us about them in the comments.